What happened
On 10 February 2016, a Jodel D120A, registration G-BYBE, was preparing for departure from Runway 27 at Shobdon Airfield, Herefordshire. The flight was a private operation with a takeoff weight of 624 kg, which was within the maximum allowable limit of 650 kg. At the time of the incident, the wind was recorded as being from the north-west at 10 to 12 knots.
As the pilot applied full throttle, the aircraft accelerated along the paved runway. The pilot raised the tail and maintained a low altitude to build airspeed. However, approximately one-third of the way down the runway, the aircraft began to wobble and the left wing dipped. The pilot attempted to correct this using rudder and aileron inputs. During this period, the pilot noted a sensation of low airspeed and an inability to further advance the throttle.
After a second wing dip occurred, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff at an altitude of between 5 and 10 feet. The aircraft subsequently landed heavily in a three-point attitude and veered off the left side of the runway. The aircraft traveled across a rough tarmac area, where the tailwheel became detached, crossed a grass microlight strip, and finally came to a stop in a field of kale. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the loss of control and the subsequent damage to the aircraft, which included the detachment of the tailwheel and damage to the right mainwheel attachment point.